Various Artists

Topaz Jazz: The Box

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AllMusic Review by Jason Ankeny

Topaz Jazz--The Box is a five-disc set encompassing the first generations of the form. The collection is broken down into five sub-genres (one each per disc): Legendary Sidemen, Top Soloists, Great Vocalists, Great Bands and Memorable Recordings. Collectors will certainly already have most, if not all, of the material included, but new fans of the music will find an embarrassment of riches herein.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Black Bottom Stomp Jelly Roll Morton	Jelly Roll Morton	03:15
2	Potato Head Blues Louis Armstrong	Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven	03:02
3	West End Blues King Oliver / Clarence Williams	King Oliver	03:03
4	Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You Andy Razaf / Don Redman	McKinney's Cotton Pickers	03:25
5	Panama William Tyers	Luis Russell & His Orchestra	03:17
6	After You've Gone Henry Creamer / Turner Layton	Eddie Lang / All-Star Orchestra / Joe Venuti	02:55
7	Moten Swing Bennie Moten	Bennie Moten	03:22
8	Symphony in Riffs Benny Carter	Benny Carter & His Orchestra	03:02
9	Bubbling Over Charles Carpenter / Louis Dunlap / Earl Hines	Earl Hines & His Orchestra	02:51
10	Down South Camp Meeting Fletcher Henderson / Irving Mills	Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra	03:00
11	Don't Be That Way Benny Goodman / Mitchell Parish / Edgar Sampson	Chick Webb	02:34
12	Rhythm Is Our Business Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin / Jimmie Lunceford	Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra	03:14
13	King Porter Stomp Jelly Roll Morton	Benny Goodman & His Orchestra	03:12
14	Song of India Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Traditional	Tommy Dorsey	03:06
15	One O'Clock Jump Count Basie	Count Basie Orchestra	03:01
16	Begin the Beguine Cole Porter	Artie Shaw & His Orchestra	03:13
17	Floyd's Guitar Blues Massimo Colombo / Floyd Smith / Roy Weigand	Andy Kirk	03:08
18	At the Woodchopper's Ball Joe Bishop / Woody Herman	Woody Herman	03:13
19	Chant of the Weed Don Redman	Don Redman	03:15
20	Ko Ko Duke Ellington	Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	02:42
21	Flying Home Benny Goodman / Lionel Hampton / Sydney Robin	Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra	03:11
22	Sepian Bounce Archie Hall / Jay McShann	Jay McShann & His Orchestra / Charlie Parker	03:12
23	Skyliner Dale Bennett	Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra	03:00

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Singin' the Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home) Con Conrad / Sam M. Lewis / J. Russel Robinson / Joe Young	Bix Beiderbecke / Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra	03:00
2	Savoy Blues Kid Ory	Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars	03:23
3	Swing Out Henry "Red" Allen / J.C. Higginbotham	Henry "Red" Allen	03:18
4	Moonglow Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills	Benny Goodman & His Orchestra / Jack Teagarden	03:40
5	Limehouse Blues Philip Braham / Douglas Furber	Quintet of the Hot Club of France / Stéphane Grappelli / Django Reinhardt	02:45
6	Vibraphone Blues Lionel Hampton	Lionel Hampton / Benny Goodman & Quartet	03:21
7	Heckler's Hop Edgar Battle / Joe Eldridge / Roy Eldridge	Roy Eldridge & His Orchestra	02:36
8	I Can't Get Started Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin	Bunny Berigan & His Orchestra	04:50
9	Lazy Afternoon Benny Carter	Benny Carter	03:02
10	Just a Mood Teddy Wilson	Harry James / Red Norvo / Teddy Wilson	06:51
11	The Rocks Mary Lou Williams	Mary Lou Williams	02:36
12	Boy Meets Horn Duke Ellington / Rex Stewart	Duke Ellington & His Orchestra / Rex Stewart	03:02
13	Tea for Two Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans	Art Tatum	02:40
14	Lester Leaps In Lester Young	Count Basie / Lester Young	03:22
15	Body and Soul Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour	Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra	03:04
16	Rosetta Earl Hines / Henri Woode	Earl Hines	03:07
17	Cotton Tail Duke Ellington	Duke Ellington & His Orchestra / Ben Webster	03:11
18	Day Dream Duke Ellington / John Latouche / Billy Strayhorn	Johnny Hodges	03:00
19	Solo Flight Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman / Jimmy Mundy	Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman & His Orchestra	02:51
20	Swingmatism Jay McShann / William Scott	Jay McShann & His Orchestra / Charlie Parker	02:42
21	Little John Special Lucky Millinder	Dizzy Gillespie / Lucky Millinder	03:08

Track Listing - Disc 3

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Baby Doll Bessie Smith	Fletcher Henderson / Bessie Smith / Joe "Fox" Smith	03:02
2	Creole Love Call Duke Ellington	Adelaide Hall / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	03:10
3	I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby (And My Baby's Crazy 'Bout Me) Alex Hill / Fats Waller	Ted Lewis / Fats Waller	03:06
4	St. Louis Blues W.C. Handy	Bing Crosby / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	04:29
5	That's My Home Ben Ellison / Otis Rene / Leon René	Louis Armstrong	03:08
6	I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler	Benny Goodman & His Orchestra / Jack Teagarden	02:45
7	Sing Me a Swing Song (And Let Me Dance) Stanley Adams / Hoagy Carmichael	Ella Fitzgerald / Chick Webb	02:33
8	Smoke Dreams Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed	Mildred Bailey / Red Norvo & His Orchestra	03:04
9	Good Morning Blues Count Basie / Eddie Durham / Jimmy Rushing	Count Basie Orchestra / Jimmy Rushing	03:05
10	He's Funny That Way Neil Moret (Chas. N. Daniels) / Richard A. Whiting		02:42
11	Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That Cha Do It) Sy Oliver / Trummy Young	Trummy Young	03:02
12	Blame It on My Last Affair Irving Mills / Henry Nemo	Helen Humes / Count Basie Orchestra	02:46
13	Stormy Weather Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler	Ivie Anderson / Duke Ellington Orchestra	02:32
14	Let's Fly Away Cole Porter	Bunny Berigan / Lee Wiley	02:55
15	Piney Brown Blues Pete Johnson / Big Joe Turner	Big Joe Turner	03:00
16	Sweet Lorraine Clifford R. Burwell / Mitchell Parish	Nat King Cole	02:53
17	St. James Infirmary Joe Primrose / Traditional		03:15
18	Stormy Monday Blues Bob Crowder / Billy Eckstine / Earl Hines	Billy Eckstine / Earl Hines	03:07
19	Knock Me a Kiss Mike Jackson	Roy Eldridge / Gene Krupa & His Orchestra	03:00
20	Murder, He Says Frank Loesser / Jimmy McHugh	Gene Krupa / Anita O'Day	03:18
21	Five Guys Named Moe Jerome Bresler / Larry Wynn	Louis Jordan	03:04
22	Cherry Red Pete Johnson / Big Joe Turner	Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson / Cootie Williams	03:05

Track Listing - Disc 4

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Beatin' the Dog Joe Venuti	Joe Venuti's Blue Four / Adrian Rollini	02:36
2	Black and Tan Fantasy Duke Ellington / Bubber Miley	Bubber Miley / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	03:05
3	Shreveport Stomp Jelly Roll Morton	Tommy Benford / Jelly Roll Morton / Omer Simeon	03:19
4	Pencil Papa Lil Hardin		02:50
5	Higginbotham Blues J.C. Higginbotham / Pee Wee Russell	J.C. Higginbotham	02:50
6	Just Blues Fletcher Henderson	Benny Morton / Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra	03:09
7	I've Found a New Baby Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams	Sidney Bechet / The New Orleans Feetwarmers / Tommy Ladnier	03:14
8	Yeah Man! J. Russel Robinson / Noble Sissle	Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra / Russell Procope	02:52
9	In a Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills	Otto Hardwick / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	03:15
10	Clarinet Lament (Barney's Concerto) Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington	Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	03:07
11	Echoes of Harlem Duke Ellington	Duke Ellington & His Orchestra / Cootie Williams	03:15
12	Swinging at the Daisy Chain Count Basie	Buck Clayton / Count Basie Orchestra	02:45
13	Ja-Da Bob Carlton	Eddie Condon / Bobby Hackett	02:40
14	Swingin' the Blues Count Basie	Harry "Sweets" Edison / Count Basie Orchestra	02:45
15	Prelude to a Kiss Duke Ellington / Irving Gordon / Irving Mills	Lawrence Brown / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	02:55
16	Dickie's Dream Count Basie	Count Basie & the Kansas City Seven / Dicky Wells	03:14
17	Till Tom Special Benny Goodman / Lionel Hampton	Budd Johnson / Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra	03:23
18	Chloe Neil Moret (Chas. N. Daniels) / Gus Kahn	Billy Kyle / John Kirby & His Orchestra / Charlie Shavers	02:46
19	A Portrait of Bert Williams Duke Ellington	Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington's Famous Orchestra	03:08
20	April in Paris Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg	Buster Bailey	03:06
21	I Want a Little Girl Murray Mencher / Billy Moll	Eddie Durham	03:10
22	Willow Weep for Me Ann Ronell	Cab Calloway & His Orchestra	03:19
23	Jonah Joins the Cab Cab Calloway	Jonah Jones / Cab Calloway & His Orchestra	02:29

Track Listing - Disc 5

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time
1	Steamboat Stomp Jelly Roll Morton	Jelly Roll Morton / Kid Ory	03:11
2	Jazz Me Blues Tom Delaney	Bix Beiderbecke	03:03
3	Apex Blues Jimmie Noone	Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra	03:05
4	Toby Eddie Barefield / Bennie Moten	Bennie Moten	03:30
5	Queer Notions Coleman Hawkins	Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra	02:50
6	Moods	Luis Russell & His Orchestra	03:15
7	Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin	Earl Hines & His Orchestra	02:45
8	Nothin' But the Blues Joe Bishop / Gene Gifford / Wingy Manone	Bunny Berigan / Gene Gifford	03:16
9	Barrelhouse Bessie from Basin Street Herbert Magidson / Jule Styne	Israel Crosby / Gene Krupa / Jess Stacy	02:58
10	Boogie Woogie Stomp Floyd Smith	Albert Ammons	03:00
11	A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid James P. Johnson / Andy Razaf	Mildred Bailey / Red Norvo & His Orchestra	03:11
12	Organ Grinder's Swing Will Hudson / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish	Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra	02:38
13	The Mood That I'm In Al Sherman / Abner Silver	Billie Holiday / Teddy Wilson	03:04
14	Crazy Rhythm Irving Caesar / Roger Wolfe Kahn / Joseph Meyer	Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra	03:01
15	I Got Rhythm George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin	Bud Freeman	02:47
16	Shoe Shiner's Drag Jelly Roll Morton	Benny Carter / Herschel Evans / Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra	03:23
17	South Rampart Street Parade Ray Bauduc / Bob Crosby / Bob Haggart	Bob Crosby & His Orchestra	02:50
18	I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young	Chu Berry / Cab Calloway & His Orchestra	02:57
19	Blues in Thirds Earl Hines	Sidney Bechet	02:58
20	When It's Sleepy Time Down South Clarence Muse / Otis Rene / Leon René	Louis Armstrong	03:18
21	Perdido Ervin Drake / Hans Lengsfelder / Juan Tizol	Duke Ellington & His Orchestra	03:10
22	The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise Eugene Lockhart / Ernest Seitz	Benny Goodman / Mel Powell And His Orchestra	02:31
23	D.A. Blues Milt Gabler	Pee Wee Russell / Jess Stacy	03:22

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